Ghana government will not ban poultry imports

Domestic production must increase to meet demand

Ghana has no immediate plans to ban poultry imports into the country, in spite of farmers' concerns that the domestic market is being hampered by foreign business, according to reports.

While a ban isn't being ruled out, there must first be a boost in local production, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Dr. Sugri Tia. Tariffs are another option not completely ruled out, but not being put into effect at the moment. “Consumption of poultry has been very low and people’s purchasing power has not been the best, and we are trying to push local production while encouraging people to consume more," said Tia. "So we want to keep their appetite for chicken there.”

Cost is also a consideration — reducing imports would mean a price increase that the government says it doesn't want to impose on consumers. “At the same time we don’t want our farmers to be out of production, so we are trying to find innovative ways of helping them produce locally while we watch what is going on," said Tia.